838.51/3951: Telegram
The Minister in Haiti (Mayer) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:36 p.m.]
88. With reference to the Department’s telegram No. 81, June 6, 6 p.m., subsequent to the meeting at the Department, De la Rue informed Pixley that the reduction of the Export-Import Bank interest rate to 4% would be announced shortly; that a $250,000 project at Port-au-Prince in addition to J. G. White work had been arranged; that he wished to step up at once the rate of expenditure of the Export-Import Bank credit to $160,000 per month and that he and “the chief” would shortly settle the whole matter between them. He instructed Pixley [Page 886] to request President Vincent to turn over the communal funds which President Vincent flatly refused to do.
Since this is quite different from the Department’s telegram No. 81, June 6, 6 p.m., I shall much appreciate any light the Department may be able to throw on this matter.
The timing of immediate collateral help to Haiti such as recommended in my telegram No. 83, June 5, noon and apparently in large measure desired by De la Rue is important with regard to any negotiations on cooperation which may be undertaken shortly. In any event it would be embarrassing if the substance of the first paragraph of the Department’s telegram No. 81, June 6, 6 p.m. were conveyed at this time to President Vincent only to learn later that De la Rue had reported to him the several other collateral aids mentioned above.
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